Yorktown License Plate Said A No-go

Not Enough Orders, Town's Trustees Report

YORK — Virginians wanted a specialty license plate honoring the state insect, and they wanted a Harley-Davidson plate. But they didn't want one that honors one of the state's most historical towns.

Some Yorktown backers are disappointed that they couldn't rally enough support to have a plate that depicts the Yorktown waterfront in the 18th century.

They needed 350 prepaid orders, and they rounded up 300 during a three-year period.

Now the Yorktown Trustees must refund money to those who prepaid for a plate.

It wasn't for a lack of trying, said Trustee Charlie Thomas. Trustees passed out order forms in public places and posted the forms on the county's Web site.

"It's not that we didn't do our homework,'' Thomas said.

Trustees first marketed the idea as a way to bring recognition to the historic town, Thomas said. The plate shows tobacco traders working at a dock and was chosen because, in the 18th century, Yorktown was one of the largest tobacco ports in America, Thomas said.

But the tobacco images bothered some people, Thomas said. One person complained that the traders represented slavery, he said.

"I was surprised at those reactions because it was depicting how Yorktown was back then,'' he said.

Trustee Edith Elliot said the plates didn't sell quickly because there already are so many designs available to motorists.

Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles offers one of the most extensive lists of specialty license plates in the nation -- 180 in all. One honors the state insect, the tiger swallowtail butterfly, and one promotes smart driving. Most special plates pay tribute to colleges or military service.

Locally, there are plates available marking the Williamsburg 300th anniversary and the ships at Jamestown. Another shows the "scenic patriot," an 18th- century man wearing a tricorn hat and playing a fife.

Mathews County got permission to have a plate showing the New Point Comfort Lighthouse and has collected 15 of the 350 prepaid applications so far, said Mathews County Administrator Stephen Whiteway. Part of the proceeds from the license plate would go toward restoration of the lighthouse, he said.

The Yorktown Trustees planned to put the proceeds for the plate toward revitalization of the Yorktown waterfront.

The special revenue-sharing plates typically cost $25 annually. After the first 1,000 are sold, the group that sponsored the plate could get $15 from each sale.

About 20 percent of registered cars in the state have specialty plates. The Heritage plate, which shows a dogwood and a cardinal, is the state's most popular plate with more than 400,000 orders, said DMV spokesman Brian Matt.

Even though the specialty plates make money for the state, some in the General Assembly think the process has gotten out of hand.

"People get ridiculous over this. They threaten elections," said Williams, remembering bitter debates over a Parrothead plate for fans of singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

A House member got angry with him for not supporting a collectors-of-pig-memorabilia plate, Williams said.

Anyone considering creating new plates might have to wait a while. Earlier this year, the General Assembly put a hold on accepting any new designs to study the specialty license plate process, Williams said.

Williams said lawmakers could limit the plates to certain organizations, not just any group, and require those organizations to accumulate 500 pre-paid orders rather than 350.

"I do think we need to get a handle on what groups should get one,'' he said.

The Yorktown Trustees hope, in the future, they could reapply for another plate.

With so many on the market, including one for Harley Davidson owners, it would seem odd not to have one with one of Virginia's most significant historical towns, said Elliot, the trustee.

"We might be more successful later," she said.

Kara Urbanski can be reached at 229-3784 or by e-mail at kurbanski@dailypress.com